I got up on the other side of the bed yesterday, and everything that could go wrong did!
The National Endowment for the Arts released recent data about what the decline of arts education means for arts participation, and the picture they paint isn’t pretty. The NEA research revealed that there was steady growth in access to music education from the 1930s to the 1970s which helped to create, nurture and sustain the audiences who would shape the cultural landscape of America. During the 1960s, the hunger for artistic growth in orchestras took … [Read more...]

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
Over the past decades, a few commentators in the musical world have spoken and written about the decline of symphony orchestras, locating the cause in a single factor. The majority, however, attribute the dwindling numbers to a combination of factors, such as: musician unions, increasing pension obligations, fewer charitable donations, the effects of the changing economy, technology, deteriorating relationships between administration and musicians, and lack of … [Read more...]

In a large family of seven siblings, headed by parents who were music educators in the public school system in Atlanta, my future as a musician was pretty much inevitable. Everyone in my house played an instrument and we were all pretty good at it! I began my musical training at age 8 and received private lessons and exposure to classical music through the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's Talent Development Program. With the guidance of my teachers and support of my parents, I earned a spot at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, where I … [Read more...]

"Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty. Think big." - Daniel Burnham, Chicago architect. (1846-1912)
This is a post for everyone who … [Read more...]

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails. - John Maxwell
I look back on my relationship with classical music and the years it took me to get hooked: years of trumpet lessons with a mentor that I looked up to, years of attending Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performances and developing the curiosity to stay awake for an entire performance, years of opportunities of playing in ensembles and performing throughout the metro-Atlanta area and the pride my family had for my accomplishments. … [Read more...]

Let what comes out of the bell speak for itself...
My father (Popz) would tell me this all of the time and I use to only attribute this advice to my trumpet playing. I started playing when I was eight years old and I always found myself in musical situations where everyone else were many years older than me. I was obsessed with doing my best and proving that I could handle the challenge in front of me. Well, the obsession of tackling big problems and proving they could work hasn't stopped. Four years ago I met with one of the principal's of … [Read more...]

Stanford Thompson

Stanford Thompson is a musician and educator who is passionate about using music for social innovation and serves as the CEO for the El Sistema-inspired program, Play On, Philly! As a trumpeter, Mr. Thompson has performed and soloed with major orchestras around the world while actively performing chamber music and jazz. As a conductor and educator... [Read More …]

Orchestras Everywhere

I’ve had several people encourage me to write a book. I always laugh. My third, eighth, and eleventh grade teachers all encouraged me to stick to the trumpet… and believe me, it wasn’t because they thought I was a good trumpet player. However, after years of planning and implementing an El … [Read More...]